Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Angels Saturday 3/25 game threadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2023-03-25T17:20:00-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/234189182023-03-25T17:20:00-05:002023-03-25T17:20:00-05:00Angels 8, Cubs 7: More home runs — and more on Adrian Sampson
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<figcaption>Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs lost to the Angels despite a power display, and before that the veteran righthander was optioned.</p> <p id="CYwG07">In the recap to Friday night’s Cubs loss to the Guardians, I speculated that <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2023/3/25/23655956/cubs-guardians-recap-adrian-sampson">Adrian Sampson wouldn’t make the Opening Day roster</a>. That has now happened, as the Cubs announced before Saturday’s game that Sampson had been optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Perhaps Sampson might be able to get things back together there, but at some point he’s either going to have to do that or the team will need that 40-man spot for someone else. As always, we await developments. (One other pregame roster move: Vinny Nittoli was reassigned to minor-league camp. That leaves 39 players in camp with five days to go.)</p>
<p id="UVBKwP">As for Saturday’s game, the Cubs <a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/cubs-vs-angels/2023/03/25/718955/final/box">lost to the Angels 8-7</a> despite a decent display of power by the North Siders, largely because some minor league pitchers couldn’t throw strikes. It’s been said by some that this team might have power deficits, but perhaps there could be some home runs from unexpected sources.</p>
<p id="7zqnV9">The game was scoreless through two innings, and Roenis Elias, who also might be in the rotation at Iowa, threw two good scoreless frames.</p>
<p id="JpVyZZ">The Cubs then put up a five-spot against the Angels in the third. Matt Moore — who some thought the Cubs should sign — had all kinds of problems, including a couple of pitch timer violations. The big blows in that inning: <a href="https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-03/25/4df059e0-6fd36742-48e4a890-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4">First, a two-run homer by Yan Gomes [VIDEO].</a></p>
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<p id="4b09UK">Morel has hit much better recently than he did early in camp, and he’s been given some time in right field, which suggests the team might wind up keeping him on the Opening Day roster and use him — a bit — to fill in for Seiya Suzuki.</p>
<p id="LNcxPG">Although, now it appears Suzuki might be back sooner than was thought:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Seiya Suzuki (left oblique) taking normal BP on field this morning. Last swing in this round was a homer to left-center. <a href="https://t.co/ID4xfQWE7V">pic.twitter.com/ID4xfQWE7V</a></p>— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBastian/status/1639676624340934659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a>
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<p id="izhKRY">Maybe it’s too early to tell, but Suzuki has now been out exactly four weeks — he was scratched from the lineup February 26. This suggests that maybe he could be ready to return only a couple of weeks into the season instead of at the end of April. This live BP session was a real good sign, in my view.</p>
<p id="epMpXK">The rest of Saturday’s game was played mostly by minor leaguers, particularly the Angels, who started an entire team of minor leaguers because their MLB guys had already left for Los Angeles to begin their annual preseason “Freeway Series” against the Dodgers tomorrow. Incidentally, expect something similar to happen with the Cubs — I have heard that most if not all of the Cubs’ Opening Day roster will be leaving for Chicago after Monday’s game against the White Sox, so Tuesday’s game will be played with Cubs minor leaguers. (Fans who paid high prices for that game at Sloan Park might not be too thrilled.)</p>
<p id="Z1Sw6L">Another highlight: Patrick Wisdom homered, his second of the spring, <a href="https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-03/25/ce594dda-7f9f1239-1d50b9b8-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4">a ball that nearly cleared the left-field berm in Tempe [VIDEO]</a>.</p>
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<p id="hNyAfl">One other thing to make note of from this game: Cubs reliever Brendon Little made <a href="https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-03/25/bb9a14ed-01f8688b-f4110231-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4">this outstanding defensive play on a little roller up the first-base line [VIDEO].</a></p>
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<p id="wI4M7u">I have expressed doubts about Little’s chances of having a career in MLB, but... who knows? Maybe he puts things together at Iowa this year.</p>
<p id="nnoQ2R">This game was the longest for the Cubs this spring at 3:07, largely because of a lot of long counts and the teams combining for 25 hits and 11 walks, along with multiple pitch timer violations. At least there was a fair amount of action for that length of time.</p>
<p id="2Z51Uq">The Cubs return to Sloan Park Sunday to face the Royals. Justin Steele will start for the Cubs and Ryan Yarbrough will go for Kansas City. Game time is 3:05 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2023/3/25/23656648/cubs-angels-recap-adrian-sampson-patrick-wisdom-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2023-03-25T15:30:00-05:002023-03-25T15:30:00-05:00Overflow thread: Cubs vs. Angels, Saturday 3/25, 2:10 CT
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<figcaption>Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="A5ldPN">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2023/3/25/23654873/overflow-thread-cubs-vs-angels-saturday-3-25-2-10-ctAl Yellon2023-03-25T14:05:00-05:002023-03-25T14:05:00-05:00First pitch thread: Cubs vs. Angels, Saturday 3/25, 2:10 CT
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<figcaption>Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="A5ldPN">Go get ‘em, Roenis.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2023/3/25/23654867/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-angels-saturday-3-25-2-10-ctAl Yellon2023-03-25T12:00:00-05:002023-03-25T12:00:00-05:00Cubs vs. Angels at Tempe preview, Saturday 3/25, 2:10 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs visit the spring home of the Angels.</p> <p id="MBSaqB">A reminder that this game will, in fact, start at 2:10 p.m. CT (12:10 Arizona time). That’s because this is the Angels’ final Cactus League game. They will be leaving after the game for southern California, where they will play their traditional preseason “Freeway Series” against the Dodgers.</p>
<p id="J8OAPJ">Here are today’s particulars.</p>
<p id="d9YeVE">Cubs lineup:</p>
<blockquote><p id="kOdXQu">Hoerner 2B, Rios 1B, Wisdom LF, Gomes C, Tauchman CF, Madrigal 3B, Morel 3B, Mastrobuoni SS, McKinstry DH</p></blockquote>
<p id="Q0T2M0">Angels lineup:</p>
<blockquote><p id="qcNUci">Adams LF, Phillips CF, Rengifo RF, Cabbage 1B, Fletcher SS, Thaiss C, Jones 3B, Calabrese DH, Palencia 2B</p></blockquote>
<p id="sdxO8t">Roenis Elias will start for the Cubs. </p>
<p id="NoDxgB">Sam Bachman will start for the Angels.</p>
<p id="F2a00n">Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. <a href="https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/providers/">Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee</a>. There’s a radio broadcast on 670 The Score. Marquee will be using the Angels broadcast feed for this game.</p>
<p id="g93npv"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/cubs-vs-angels/2023/03/25/718955/preview">MLB.com Gameday</a> </p>
<p id="OISCKL"><em>Please note that during spring training, Gameday doesn’t usually go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season — usually, it will update after each at-bat.</em></p>
<p id="MUK4nn"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/2023/03/25">Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.</a></p>
<p id="aj8DqM">Our SB Nation Angels site <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Halos Heaven</a> has been dormant for about a year, so instead I’m going to recommend visiting the Angels site <a href="https://crashingthepearlygates.com/">Crashing The Pearly Gates</a>, which is run by folks who used to be with SB Nation. As always, if you do go there to interact with Angels fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.</p>
<p id="S6oxx0">As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first-pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2:05 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT. </p>
<p id="1zlN3d">These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.</p>
<p id="9g9Jqo">Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2023/3/25/23652275/cubs-angels-at-tempe-preview-saturdayAl Yellon